Saviour
by Mellaithwen
Summary: When demons attack baby Wyatt, and Chris is the first to get to him, our young Whitelighter gets caught up in the crossfire as he tries to protect his brother. COMPLETED
1. Chapter 1

**Saviour**

**By Mellaithwen**

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**Rating: K+**

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**Genre: Action/Adventure/Angst**

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**Disclaimer: As much as I want it, it's not mine.**

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**Summary: When a demon attacks baby Wyatt, and Chris is the first to get to him, our young Whitelighter gets caught up in the crossfire.**

**Set during s6 after 'Prince Charmed'**

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**Chapter 1, Attacked**

"Because the only reason I came here is to keep Wyatt from turning evil." Chris said simply, forgetting for a moment who he was talking to.

"Turning evil?" Leo asked skeptically

"Don't you mean stopping evil from hurting him?" Paige put in her own ten cents.

_Another lie_

Chris thought to himself.

_God they're gonna hate me._

"I didn't think you'd help me if you knew the truth. I knew you wouldn't. The evil from the future I came back to stop isn't a demon." He pauses, unsure. "It's Wyatt."

"You're lying." Piper said quickly.

_Another lie. Another goddamn lie. _

"No, I'm not. He's gonna grow up and terrorize people with his powers, take over, kill, even."

_I should know. How many times have I been subject to his tantrums? How many times have I watched, convincing myself that my big brother was a force of good, to only have it thrown back into my face? Again and again and again. _

Piper looked away.

"Why should we believe you after all the lies?" Leo asked, his tone serious.

"Because you have to."

"No, Chris. We don't, actually."

"Fine, then, don't. Either way, we need to save Wyatt now, and I'm the one who knows how to do it."

"Oh really? How?" Phoebe asked.

"The Order. They used their powers to turn him, to reverse his morality. See, he thinks bad is good now and good is bad. That's why his shield repelled you."

"So?"

_You'd think being an Elder he might have caught on a little earlier…_

"So; Wyatt brings his shield up around me. He thinks I'm a threat."

"Yeah, so do I."

_Why won't that stupid penny drop already?_

"Listen to me. They reversed his sense of morality." Chris said, his tone bordering a patronizing command. "That means his shield will protect him from you but not from me. Please, I'm the only one who can save him. Let me help."

"Chris, we don't need your help. I will get my son back and when I do, I don't want to see you anymore." Piper said with conviction, and Chris looked around the room desperately.

"I'm sorry." He said simply and orbed out, away from the glares.

* * *

The dark priest held up the scepter, his eyes menacing, his robes swaying as he gestured, his chest sticking out, appearing strong as the child guarded him. Powering up a ball of fire, ready to throw at the Charmed Ones.

Behind him, Chris orbed in, jumping through the shield, knocking the demon priest successfully to the ground, the priests own ball of fire consuming him. Chris rolled over, shielding himself from the combusting enemy.

All around them the remaining members of the cult took a breath and faded away, taking their chance to escape.

Inside of the force field, Chris got to his feet and without taking his eyes off of the little boy in front of him, Chris instructed the girls, standing outside of the shield warily.

"Pick up the scepter and point it at Wyatt."

"Trust me." Chris said, with as much meaning as he could emphasize, in the simple two word sentence that was asking for so much.

In silence, Piper picked up the scepter and pointed it at Wyatt. The baby's eyes glowed for a moment before returning to normal, the shield falling away.

Piper stepped forward, as Chris stepped aside, allowing the mother to pick up her son, and cautiously step back from the Whitelighter.

"How come he didn't raise his shield back up for you?" Paige asked, suspicion and curiosity lasing her tone, and Chris merely shook his head.

"I don't know. Looks like he trusts me now, at least."

* * *

Chris sighed as he flicked through the book. It was night, the only time he dared enter the Manor, especially now that Piper, Paige and Phoebe were ready to kill him at any given moment.

"_You know, Chris, trust is a precious commodity. Once you lose it, it's pretty hard to get it back."_

_LikeI needed to be told that_. He thought as he recalled Leo's oh-so-wise words.

The full moon shone in the background, its rays casting different lights to shine onto the attic floor through the windows that resembled stained glass.

Chris stopped for a moment, putting his pen and paper to rest on the stand next to the book, he took a step back and looked around the room, taking everything in, comparing it all to the images in his mind, images of the museum, images of how he had known it as a young boy, and images that stood before him. In all honesty, not a lot had changed.

There was box upon box of various items belonging to Halliwell's of the past and present, three tables, two of them stacked in the corner, and one of them held a map that was currently being used as a scrying table. There were different types of dining room chairs stacked in the corners, as well as junk the family had yet to throw out.

In his own future, or his past, his life when he had _lived_ here, things hadn't been much different, though he recalled his mother deciding on a sudden spring clean and successfully getting rid of almost half of the useless items stored up here.

The museum, his present, only everyone else' future, was very different. The items had been discarded, anything that took up too much space, or took any of the glamour from the house was quickly gotten rid of, leaving only one or two empty boxes for decorative purposes.

He stepped closer to the book, touching it carefully as though it were precious glass. It belonged to him just as much as it belonged to Wyatt, and every other Halliwell of their generation, but of course, the twice-blessed child had taken it for himself as soon as he could.

Now, he had a chance, he had been chosen to do this, and he was so close to destroying everything he'd worked so hard to get, just because of the sisters insistence of not trusting him.

_Not hard enough, clearly_

He thought bitterly.

He had to try harder if he would have any chance of saving his big brother. He smiled. His big brother was a toddler, twenty odd years younger than himself.

As his thoughts dwelled on the child, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He listened carefully, and then he heard it, a barely audible creak. His heart lept into his throat and he carefully tip toed down the stairs to the attic, to the second floor landing, until he was standing directly outside of Wyatt's nursery.

"Wyatt?" Chris called, though he wasn't sure whether he expected an answer. He opened the door carefully, in case he had been imagining things, careful not to awaken the child, if he was still asleep.

There was a strong musky smell of burning, and over Wyatt's crib stood a demon, clad in black, a dark void swirling around him as he looked down. The darkness itself seemed to see Chris as a source of good, and thus an enemy. The demon span around, its black cloak billowing slightly, its deformed face staring at the young Whitelighter.

The demons head cocked to the side, and he hissed at Chris, before seeming to lick his lips. He shot his hand out and clutched it to his chest suddenly, and as soon as the demon had done so Chris felt himself flying forward.

Another demon shimmered in suddenly, and Chris took the distraction as a chance to fight back, he was no longer being pulled against his will and he flicked his wrist, the movement causing the second demon to fly into the wall, narrowly missing the hook that could have impaled him.

The demon quickly got up and pushed Chris into the furniture, the rocking chair breaking and falling around him. He got up once more to fight again, and the demon held its hands out suddenly, aiming to attack the first demon that had gotten the same idea of capturing Wyatt.

The red light filled Chris' body, as the second demon's powers shot out. Excruciating pain emitted from his every single cell. He dropped to his knees, his hands clutching his body as he started to fall, his face unable to find the strength to mask the complete surprise, something mirrored on his older brother's face.

There were footsteps behind him, and Chris felt a dark force keeping him still, electrodes shooting through his back, he saw another colt from the demons other hand shoot out and destroy the second demon.

The demon now had both hands on Chris and the young man from the future was unable to take it anymore and he let out the agonizing scream that tore through the walls of the Halliwell Manor.

He fell on his side and crouched into himself, desperate for the pain to go away, a small voice in the back of his head telling him to protect Wyatt

_He can protect himself_

He mentally replied to his own concern

_He's just a baby..._

And that much was true. All of his work would be for nothing if he just died, watching Wyatt be turned. The small bickering was keeping his mind off of the pain, and the warm feeling that was quickly spreading across his back and front, but he knew he had to do something, he couldn't just stand by and watch, but everything hurt so much, and the darkness in the corner of his eyes was so inviting, so very welcoming...

**TBC**

**Please Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Nope not mine**

**Ah so confused. Started off as a one chapter thing that was about 2,500 odd words. Then it got longer so I decided to do a few chapters. I wrote around 4 and that was it, finished. Then all these new ideas came, and I tried to think of new ways to give him angst and I haven't got a clue what's going on anymore so bare with me.**

**Enough with the ramblings! Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed and here's the second chapter.**

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**Chapter 2, Crashes In The Night**

Having heard the crashes Piper had bolted out of bed, running out of her bedroom clad in only her pyjamas, her hair roughly tied back, stray strands falling around her stricken face as she made her way to her son's nursery.

She was half way across the landing when she heard it. The piercing scream, reverberating in her ears, but it wasn't just any scream. She knew the voice; the usual sarcastic, neurotic voice was in pain. Screaming in agony.

* * *

Shaken out of his stupor from the determination not to fail, Chris heard movements outside and the door began to rattle, Pipers voice coming to his ears, muttering in concern as she tried to bang the door down.

* * *

"Leo!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. She was sure she had heard Chris screaming, after all it couldn't have been Wyatt, but why was the man here?

What was he doing with Wyatt right then and there?

Was the scream a result of Wyatt's force field?

The questions ran amuck in her brain.

No, she had been hit by the force field when her son's morality had been changed, and even then the pain had not been enough to cause anyone to scream like that.

She threw herself into the door, unsure of the risk of blowing up the door, especially since whatever or whoever was in there, demon or Chris could use the blinding debris to their advantage to attack, and maybe even to cause Wyatt's shield to lower.

But why had Chris screamed?

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"Leo!" Chris heard her scream again and he looked up groggily, staring at the door longingly, praying Piper could get through. He opened his mouth and tried to call out but he was too weak, his mouth was dry all of a sudden and his throat seemed to constrict as he tried to swallow.

He closed his mouth and opened it once more, like a fish out of water, hoping to find his voice, but all that came out was a quiet groan.

There was a noise, and Chris looked up at Wyatt's crib, that the demon had yet to infiltrate. The blue-tinged bubble had been activated, protecting Wyatt from the demon stalking towards him.

Deciding to help the toddler after all, he gritted his teeth and tried to push himself up as quietly as possible, not wanting the demon to attack before he was even on his feet. His knees clicked in pain after lying awkwardly, but barely a scratch in comparison to his other more fatal wounds.

The creature growled and Chris saw him run forward towards the crib, as if hoping to tackle the shield but was only thrown to the wall once more. He looked around in search of a weapon of some kind, maybe there was some way to deactivate it, and his eyes rested on Chris, wounded and bleeding, his grey long sleeved shirt almost completely red from the crimson stains of his own blood.

He sneered and stepped towards the man purposefully, who was still attempting to rise. The demon grinned madly as he stood over the wounded Whitelighter, his large form blocking the light from the little lampshade on the side table.

"Make him open it." The creature said, his tongue licking the bottom of his sharp pointed fangs in anticipation.

Chris, despite the pain, still managed to laugh bitterly. "Go to hell."

"So much power.." The demon muttered. "Oh well." He said, his tone changing from wonder back to anger at Chris' lack of co-operation.

The man didn't even look up; he rested his head on the floorboards, only half aware of the puddle beneath him of his own blood. He was shaking from an unseen cold spreading through him, making his limbs feel numb.

* * *

"Leo goddamn it!" Piper screamed once more, and finally the blue orbs lowered to the ground, revealing Leo, looking sorry for taking so long.

"I'm sorry Piper, I couldn't just _leave_-" He looked at her face and noticed the small cracks that had begun to form on the doorframe from where Piper had been trying to get in.

"Piper?" He said questionably.

"Someone's in there."

Leo looked stricken, and began to orb but Pipers hands shot out, grabbing at the dissipating matter, making him stop.

"You can't orb in there, by the time you know what's going on you could be killed."

"But if Wyatt's hurt."

"I don't think he is, I would have felt it, and his shield will keep him safe."

"But if that's true then I can orb close enough to Wyatt, for his shield to protect me as I assess the situation."

Leo's insistence was getting on her nerves.

"Chris is in there too." She said in a clipped tone

"What! I should have known he was behind this!"

"No, Leo." And Piper was surprised at herself for standing up for the Whitelighter. "I-I heard him scream."

"So Wyatt's shield must have repelled him."

"No, it was-, the scream, it was nothing Wyatt could have done."

Leo only stared.

"Either way we have to get in there."

He turned back towards the door and motioned for Piper to move behind the wall out of sight.

He flicked his wrist, and the door orbed away, revealing the destroyed room, and the strong stench of blood that filled his nostrils as he took a deep breath, the smell enough to make Piper feel sick suddenly. It was so strong she could almost taste it's metallic texture in the air. Her stomach churned and she put a hand to her mouth.

She'd seen blood before, more than her fair share, but this was her little boy's nursery. The one place blood should never be spilled.

The demon in question had his back to the door, and had yet to notice the presence of the Elder and his ex-wife. He was too busy holding Chris up by the neck, choking the man.

Piper began to dart forward, unsure of what she might do but knowing she had to do it fast. Leo held her back and as she was about to protest she saw the look in his eyes that told her to keep quiet. They had to be careful. One wrong move and everything would turn from very bad, to much, much worse.

**TBC**

**Go on, review, please**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own them, sadly enough**

**Quite a quick update if you ask me…then again that is just me.**

**I've tried to make the chapters longer, really I have, but this is just the way it is…**

**Chapter 3, Seeing Is Believing**

The Whitelighters own blood was dripping down on to the ground from the gaping wounds on his back and front, not to mention open wounds he had been too stubborn to request healing after searching for more information in the Underworld.

His face ashen white, pale and shaking, dark circles stood out prominently on his face and his lips were cracked, desperate for water, desperate for air.

His shirt was almost completely wet with blood and Leo cringed.

Chris noticed them for the first time, Leo, outlined from the small lights on the landing, and Piper barely visible behind him as the Elder hiding her from view should the demon turn around.

The pressure on Chris' throat was increased, and the Whitelighters gaze was re-focused again to look into the pupil-less eyes of the dark demon's eyes.

* * *

Leo had frozen for a moment, not out of fear, nor worry, but the indecision in his mind. The doubt that maybe Chris had brought this on himself. A partner who had turned on him, maybe? Some kind of lucrative attempt to seem heroic as an old friend of his committed murder on the baby boy.

Piper flicked out her hands in a movement clearly attempting to blow the accursed demon up. Her mouth hung open as not even a small blast hit him, and the demon stood, fine. No evidence on an attack against him.

Leo made up his mind, and seeing Chris' blue-tinged lips trying to say something he realised that no matter how he felt, he couldn't stand by and watch him die. He lifted his hands, and the demon into the far wall hit with a blast of blue and white orbs, with such a force that he was knocked unconscious.

Piper ran in, and pushing Leo's arm aside, took hold of Wyatt in her arms and proceeded to run downstairs away from the danger.

As the demon had been thrown, his choking grip had been wrenched from his throat, leaving small trickles of blood where the demon's sharp nails had dug in suddenly. He fell to the ground, no longer supported by the vice-like grip, and his body was too weak to do anything.

As his legs bent awkwardly beneath him, he let out another scream, albeit much quieter that the first. Leo rushed to his side, feeling the guilt of waiting, and hoping it wouldn't cost the young man his life.

"Chris?" He asked as he began to put his healing hands out to the man. There was a ruffle, and Leo span around, seeing the demon beginning to come to, still disoriented enough for them to escape.

He orbed both of them away downstairs and placed a dying Chris onto the sofa carefully. In the clearer glow of the main living room he could see the horrible wounds in a harsher light. Deep, burning, wounds were on his lower chest and back, and Leo could see blood beginning to flow from old wounds, not to mention small white lines revealing the many scars the boy had.

Piper seeing her husbands entrance realised that the demon could still be upstairs, throwing caution to the wind she ran upstairs, intent on checking, but as she reached her little boy's bedroom all she was the destruction the demon had left behind after shimmering away, seeing that his quarry was lost for now.

Leo tried to heal once more but Chris was shaking, moving side to side, lost in delirium, and without him staying still Leo couldn't help him. What did he expect? The boy was in agony, he was mildly surprised the Whitelighters actions weren't more violent and precise.

"Chris." He said trying to calm the man, putting a hand on the boy's forehead. "Chris!" He said louder as the boy didn't respond to his first call, surprising Piper who had just returned and was now watching from the archway leading from the hall to the living room.

"Dad?" Chris asked feverishly and Leo could hear a slight hint of fear, maybe he shouldn't have raised his voice. He shook his head though the boy's eyes were very clearly out of focus and barely open.

"No Chris, it's Leo, you have to calm down."

Chris looked confused as he stared at Leo, his own mind trying to register what was going on, but the pain hurt so much, he could barely stop moving, fidgeting, obeying his body's will to hide the pain, something that had become more and more of a habit in his own timeline.

"Chris." Leo called with more authority than the shout had carried, and Chris was reminded of the tone his father used whenever he and Wyatt had gotten into trouble at Magic School. His movements ceased, even if he wasn't aware of it.

"Sorry, Dad." Chris croaked weakly, and Leo shook his head, still insistent on correcting the boy, something that made Piper cringe. Chris may not have been her favourite person, but he was in pain, and Leo justkept pushing...

"No, Chris, it's Leo."

Chris frowned, confused, and misinterpreted his fathers clueless ness for a complete disregard of his title, as though he didn't want Chris to call him that.

_He doesn't love you_

A cruel voice sang in the back of his mind, as feelings of neglect re-surfaced.

_He doesn't love me_

He said, almost in reply to himself, condemning his self-deprecation, and as the words formed in his mind the glowing from Leo's hands stopped.

"Leo?" Piper asked, noticing the lack of healing going on.

"I don't understand." Leo said shaking his head. "It's like-I-I don't know."

"I know you don't love the guy Leo, but try and think of someone you do love."

"It's not that, I was thinking of someone, but it's like his body's contradicting me."

"What? You mean he doesn't want to be healed?"

"I'm note sure, but he's pushing me away, at least, his subconscious is."

"Leo," Piper said cautiously "He won't live long if you don't heal him soon."

"I know, I know, you stay with him, I'll take Wyatt to magic school to be safe."

Piper was about to protest, wanting to keep her son near when Leo orbed away.

* * *

"Maybe you can't heal him Leo, because you weren't supposed to." Gideon said simply, closing the book he had been pretending to read and placing it back on to the bookshelf in his office.

As soon as he had arrived in Magic School, Leo had hurried to see his mentor, relaying the night's events with growing uncertainty to the, in his opinion, wiser Elder.

"What?" Leo asked, surprised to have heard it.

Why wouldn't a Whitelighter, an Elder no less, be supposed to help a seemingly innocent, innocent?

"Think about it. He's fulfilled his mission; you've been warned about Wyatt's turning, maybe, this is what is meant to be."

"But the threat itself hasn't been destroyed, we need him."

"Do you? You know there's a threat, as does he, but he cannot tell you what or why, and neither can you, as far as I can see the boy is a mere hindrance."

Seeing an un-decipherable look cross Leo's features he tried to recover.

"Shouldn't you take Wyatt down to the nursery?" He asked, with a sickly sweet tone in his voice as he looked at the blonde child in his father's arms.

Leo seemed reluctant to do so and shook his head.

"I think I'd prefer to have him close by." He sighed, still feeling the guilt of not helping Chris sooner, and though a part of him relished in Gideon's council there was another part of him filled with unease.

He nodded in thanks and orbed away back to the Manor.

Gideon walked around to his desk, about to sit down once more, a smile on his face when a voice came to his ears.

"We can help him!" Sigmund said emerging from the doorway having heard everything.

"No," Gideon replied. "He's only a meddlesome boy, and now thanks to some demon we'll have gotten rid of him forever."

"But Sir, we can't just leave him to die." Sigmund cried increduously

"Keep your voice down." Gideon reprimanded. "you heard Leo, Sigmund, he can't be healed."

"By Leo, what if another Elder tried?"

"Sigmund-" Gideon began before being cut off.

"He's an innocent!"

"Is he? We don't know anything about him-."

"But he is an innocent, sir." Sigmund interrupted and Gideon took a breath to calm his rage.

"The loss of an innocent is regrettable but a sacrifice I am willing to make for the greater good."

"How many more sacrifices Gideon?" Sigmund asked under his breath,knowing that he had gone too far.

"Sigmund." Gideon threatened his tone dangerous and Sigmund backed away, his shoulders slumped as once again Gideon had gotten to him.

**TBC**

**Please Review, and thank you to everyone who has already :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Not mine, nope, I know, surprised me too…**

**-ducks behind wall-**

**I know I'm sorry it took so long, I literally forgot to update, and now I have to pack for holidays tomorrow, and then its school after that so massive apology in advance if I don't update for a while**

**Chapter 4, Strange Goings On**

White lights glared at him as he stared at them intently, they reminded him of a sunset he had seen on a family holiday, more vibrant than the ones at home, more peaceful and beautiful.

"Hello?" He called out for what seemed like the millionth time.

"You shouldn't be here," a voice from behind him stated matter-of-factly, with a tone of annoyance laced into its words.

"No?" Chris asked, spinning around, ever thankful of his sarcastic ways.

"No." The voice said, forming in front of him. Lights shot out from around him, like golden orbs, spinning around and around until he saw her.

A beautiful young girl, filled with pure good and innocence and yet Chris couldn't help but feel wary around her, he had no idea where he was, and he wanted more than anything to leave, even if it did mean going back to his own personal hell of having to deal with his family's distrust and hatred.

"You're afraid of me." The girl said simply, edging closer, causing Chris to step back.

_Young yet so old_

He thought to himself. A bit like him, really.Having maturedtoo early, and become neurotic before his twenty-fifth birthday.Her eyes alone held more wisdom than anything he had ever seen.

"Let me out of here."

"You are not here against your will, at least, not in the way you think. You may leave whenever you wish."

"How?"

"I cannot tell you." She whispered, though it sounded more like a hiss.

"Why?" He replied in an equal hushed tone.

"Because," She began louder (simply whispering to see if he would too) "If I told you, I'd have to tell everyone," Her cheery tone was beginning to creep him out, and he wanted nothing more than to leave, not trusting whatever was happening right now.

"And that," She continued."Wouldn't be very fair now would it?"

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Leo orbed in and walked over to the playpen, explaining as he walked that Wyatt might be safer here. Piper cocked her eyebrow at this, but said nothing, glad that her son was where he could keep an eye on him.

"Paige isn't answering." She said more to herself than anyone else. "I think she's bust at her temp job..."

Leo crouched down, placing Wyatt down carefully, the boy know standing in his playpen stood with his arms outstretched, longing to be picked up again. Piper was about to call out to her youngest sister again when she saw her ex-husband flying through the air and colliding hard with the wall, landing on the ground, unconscious.

"Leo!" Piper cried as she span around to look at the demon who had now returned. She flicked her wrists in a motion to blow him up but the demon only sneered.

"It didn't work last time, witch, why would it know?"

Piper stopped, stunned, before grabbing a chair and throwing it with all her might. The piece of furniture flew through the air, and merely a few inches away from the demon, it disappeared into thin air, before reappearing on the other side of the room, crashing into the ground.

The eldest of the Charmed Ones stood transfixed, surprised at the strength of the demon, and suddenly aware of her un-guarded son. She continued to attack to distract the demon, at least until Leo would wake up.

"Leo!" She called, looking desperately at her ex husband.

The demon grinned at her, licking his teeth, spinning around and walking towards the playpen, where Wyatt still stood, his arms no longer outstretched, but hanging by his sides.

The demon went to grab him, but the blue shield kicked in, and the demon in question was thrown backwards into the wall.

"Paige!" Piper called out as loud as she could, screaming, with more power and urgency than before, and her sister suddenly orbed in front of her. With no time to comment on the younger sister's speed then, and lack of when she had called earlier, she pointed at the demon and they both walked towards him as he sat on the ground, slumped against the wall, dazed for the second time that evening.

"Who are you?" Paige asked. Still uncertain about the situation.

The demon spat at her feet and shimmered away, leaving a growling Piper and a confused Paige in his wake.

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"What happened?" Leo asked as he woke up on the floor, the sofa still occupied by Chris, whose condition was slowly getting worse. He looked to the small chairs in front of the coffee table and saw all three sisters sitting down, scrying, using the small amount of blood left behind in the nursery, to find the demon. Its green tint, and horrible stench ensuring that it was the demons blood and not that of their Whitelighter.

"You got knocked out." Phoebe said simply, having been informed as soon as Paige had orbed her back to the manor.

Leo groaned as he got to his feet.

"Wyatt?"

"Magic school." Piper said, clearly annoyed, picking up the Book Of Shadows, glancing over to the couch every now and then to where Paige was keeping a cold compress on Chris' burning skin, the scene reminding her of the incident with Bianca, though this was much worse.

Paige got up, seeing the cold compress slide from Chris' forehead and placed it back on there careful not to wake the young man, while Phoebe continued to hold the crystal steadily and Piper flicked through the Book, in search of their demon, and maybe some reason for Chris' lack of co-operation as far as healing went.

Leo seemed more uneasy as his thoughts wandered to Wyatt being at magic school and when Piper asked him if there was anything wrong, he relayed his conversation with Gideon to her.

"So he thinks Chris can't be healed? Ever?" Piper asked, having just been told everything, surprised that an Elder intent on the _Greater Good_ and saving innocents, would suggest something like that. Then again, there was a lot she didn't know about the head of magic school.

"That's what he said, yeah." Leo sighed. He went to walk closer to Chris when he doubled over in pain.

"Oh my god, Leo!" Piper cried, running to her husband's side. Phoebe dropped the crystal and came forward to help. The Elder was on his knees, clutching his chest, his teeth gritted and his eyes shut tight, fighting off the waves of pain rushing through his body. Moving away from the girls, his hands held defensively as the extreme agony ripped through him.

Piper grabbed his shoulders, moving past his hands, and as soon as the contact was made, the pain went away, leaving Leo gasping for air on the floor, more shocked than anything else. His eyes darted back and forth as he searched his mind for answers, keeping his head bowed, unable to forget the raw feelings.

"Leo?" Piper asked carefully, still scared from the spectacle she'd just witnessed. Leo looked up at her, lost, and shifted his gaze to Chris who lay motionless on the couch.

"I-I felt his pain."

"What?" Piper asked confused and Phoebe looked straight at Paige as if to see if she understood either.

"For a second, I-it was like there was a connection." He trailed off, searching for more answers he couldn't find. Confused, Piper watched her sister, striding over to her.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Phoebe asked Leo, who nodded simply, and Phoebe, still keeping a wary eye on Leo, took up the crystal and began to swing it in search of the demon.

"…wanted to tell you…" Piper heard Chris mutter as she got within range of his feverish excuses, his head shifting from side to side, his skin burning with fever while he shook with cold.

"Shh, it's ok." Paige said gently, trying to calm the agitated man.

"No…no…NO!" He cried out suddenly, and Paige jumped, trying to cover it up by needed to get another compress from the kitchen.

Leo went next to him once more, kneeling down, closing his eyes in concentration as he placed his hands over Chris' chest. There was a flicker of light before it died completely.

"Damn it." Leo swore under his breath.

"Why won't it work?" Phoebe asked, still not truly understanding.

"He's contradicting Leo." Piper said cryptically, repeating her ex-husband's words from earlier in a tone that proved this wasn't the first time that day Phoebe had asked.

"I thought your trigger was Love?" Phoebe said, turning the statement into a question as if to ask for confirmation.

"It is."

"So? What? Chris is contradicting your love…for him?"

"I guess." Leo shrugged and Phoebe nodded.

"Well it's no secret you're not the best of friends." Paige said as she re-entered the room, a cloth bundled up, dripping with cold water in her hands.

Phoebe saw that Chris was once again shifting in his uneasy sleep. She tried to calm him down while Paige strolled over. Phoebe put a hand on his forehead to check if he had begun to cool down yet but instead found herself thrown into a vision.

_The scene around them was dim; it always was in her visions. The lights seemed to be like a sunset, oranges and yellows cast across, well, nothing. There was no sky, there was just the emptiness above where the lights dwelled. She could see Chris standing, talking. A girl came into view. Her face seemed so innocent she looked like a child, but her eyes seemed more wise than any other she'd seen, and her height and build convinced Phoebe she had to be at least nineteen. _

_Her skin was pale and glowing, and her lips were a soft pink, while her dark eyelashes and eyebrows matched her brown flowing hair, much like Piper's had been once. _

_S__he wore a thin white dress that seemed softer than cotton and lighter than silk, and she was whispering words that Phoebe couldn't hear._

As soon as she began to take in the scene, she felt the beautiful figure's eyes on her and as soon as they met she was pushed out of the vision forcefully.

"Phoebe?" Piper asked with concern, and the middle sister found that she was on the floor near the couch.

"Uh yeah." She mumbled, sitting herself up.

"What did you see?" Paige asked from her position next to Chris, it was clear that Phoebe had just had a premonition.

"Chris, only it's not from the future, and it's not a memory."

"So, the present? You saw him like this? Lying down?" Paige asked, confused.

"No, it was, he was fine, just standing there, and there was this girl in white."

"Wait, do you mean like some kind of Angel or something?" Piper asked, looking at Leo to see if he had any other answers.

"I'm not sure, but he didn't know why he was there, he wanted to leave."

"And that's it?" Paige asked.

"Why are you so close to him all of a sudden?" Phoebe asked, annoyed to have been cut off

"I'm not, it's just, there's like this connection." Sherepliedlamely.

"You like him?" Piper asked "I mean _like_, like him?"

"No, not like that, I can't explain it."

"Uh hello!" Phoebe cried, having yet to finish her explanation. Her sisters and ex-brother-in-law looked at her apologetically and motioned for her to carry on.

"She pushed me out. The girl, I mean, she looked right at me, and she pushed me out somehow."

"Why don't you try getting another premonition, maybe you can get back in." Piper said helpfully and Phoebe nodded, getting to her feet, and perching on the side of the sofa. She took a deep breath, and removed the cold compress, handing it to Paige. She put her hand on Chris' forehead and waited.

**But will she get through? Or is something else in store for the empathic witch? Like oh, I don't know, a revealing memory? Tune in next time and don't forget to review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Funnily enough it still doesn't belong to me…**

**Not the longest chapter I'm afraid but I think there should be a warning, it's a bit...um…for the strong at heart? Well it's not_ that _bad, it's just you might get… Oh bugger it, just read at your own caution**

**Note to self: Don't write while jet-lagged**

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**Chapter 5, Phoebe's Vision**

There was a yank as a vicious pull forced her to see the vision that touching Chris' feverish skin caused.

_The air was cold, and the walls were damp. The feeling of fear was embedded into the rocky surfaces. This wasn't any vision, it wasn't short, and it wasn't clear, and it definitely wasn't where she had been earlier. No this was a memory, and it seemed muffled, repressed, and Phoebe instantly got the impression that this wasn't something Chris wanted to remember. She swallowed, continuing to walk. She was there somehow. _

_There was a large slab in front of her, though it seemed as though it had been carved out of the crevice itself. She cringed at the coppery smell in the air, before pushing down the bile that rose up in her throat at the realization that it was blood. _

_She walked forward, feeling the epitome of fear ebbing from the prone figure lying atop the slab. It was a man, his head was tilted to the far wall, and all she could see was the back of his dark mane. There was bruising on his neck. Most likely from a demon's vice-like grip._

_Phoebe looked around her, worried that she might be seen. She took a deep breath and moved around the man, walking to the other side. She started when she saw his eyes were wide open. Glazed and unresponsive, the colour of jade green. The dying eyes of her neurotic Whitelighter. _

"_Chris!" She gasped, kneeling down in front of him, moving to grab him by the shoulders, to shake him out of his stupor, but her hands passed straight through. _

_She fell back in surprise, and the cave was suddenly a lot more crowded. _

"_Brother." The dark figure called softly, and though Chris didn't move or show any signs that he had heard him, from where she was she could see the flicker in his eyes and the feeling of fear increase. _

_The man knelt in front of Chris, stroking away the stray hairs from the younger man's eyes, smiling sympathetically. _

"_I'm doing this for us, for all of us." He said gently, and Chris looked up at him, tears in his eyes. "Why?" He rasped, sorrow laced into his tone._

"_He's an upper-level demon, he controls over a third of the Underworld, if we get him on our side-."_

"_Our side." Chris scoffed. "I'm not on your side."_

_And though the figure could hear the anger, the weakness was a lot more obvious. Phoebe heard it too. _

"_Don't Chris, you need to rest, be prepared."_

"_Not again, Wy, please."_

_Phoebe stopped breathing. _

_Wy. _

_Short for Wyatt. _

_But, he said Brother…No…No...It can't be_

"_I have to Chris, he wants the blood of a Halliwell, and I can't very well heal myself now can I?"_

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"Uh, Phoebe?" Paige questioned, watching as her sisters stance changed from preparing herself to going completely rigid. Her hand pressed hard against Chris' forehead. As Piper watched from Leo's side she wondered if she should intervene. After all, Phoebe did look as though she were pressing down hard.

This was getting more and more confusing by the minute, from Leo's connection to Chris, and Paige's instincts…instincts Piper too felt. Feelings she banished to the bottom of her soul, the strange longing to protect him now that he was weak and vulnerable was over-powering, and she couldn't afford to be distracted by such things.

Though thinking this, she only felt guilt for abandoning him.

_That's ridiculous, _Piper thought to herself_. How can I feel guilty for abandoning a neurotic boy I've never been remotely close to?_

But he was a boy, and the more that Piper's gaze left her sisters strange reactions and focused on the young man she realized he couldn't be any older that twenty-five, and in her book that was young.

Suddenly a very loud thump reverberated around the room, as they saw Phoebe crumple to the ground, completely immersed in her vivid vision.

"Phoebe!" The three conscious people cried, in various tones as the middle sister fell limp to the ground, leaving a faint hand print that faded away on Chris' forehead.

_

* * *

"__Vanquish him." Chris whispered, pained. He looked so lost and afraid but Wyatt only looked at him as though he were insane "And how then would I have him on my side?" He asked incredulously, before holding out his hand and conjuring an athame. The blade glinting in the firelight from the walls, the shadows dancing in glee. _" 

_Wyatt looked at his brother for a moment, as if surveying him. He sighed, not wanting to take a chance and waved his hands. Ropes shot up from the ground wrapping themselves around the young man, pulling him into the ground until the could barely breathe, unable to move a muscle. _

_Wyatt grabbed a large bowl, and placed it carefully on to the floor underneath Chris' arm. He took the athame and slid the blade purposely across his brother's wrist, drawing blood, before pools of it came out as he ripped open the vein. Dripping down into the bowl in rivulets. Creating a quickly-growing puddle of crimson liquid accumulating in the bowl._

_Phoebe stood, in shock, in pain, her own wrist burning from feeling Chris' pain, tears spiking her eyes as Chris let his own pour down his face. _

_The bowl had long been half full, and Wyatt could see his brother's pale skin turning a shade lighter, as white as a sheet, his eyes drooping beginning to close, as his breathing slowed considerably. _

_Wyatt clicked his fingers and the ropes fell away, and the demons too left, having done this enough times to know when to leave. _

_Wyatt moved the bowl and knelt back down in front of his brother, placing his hands over the wound and waiting for the glow to come. _

_It did, but Phoebe noted with fear, that it wasn't anywhere near as strong as Leo's. The evil growing in side of the tall figure was taking president, and Phoebe wondered how long it would be until he lost the power completely._

_Chris blinked at his brother, surprised to have been brought back, having been sure it would be the last time. _

"_Go," Wyatt whispered. "I've got what I need."_

_Chris didn't move, out of weakness and disbelief. How long had he been here? He tried to sit up but couldn't. He was still a lot paler than normal. Wyatt grabbed his back and pushed him upward coldly. Chris swung his legs around but fell as soon as they hit the ground. He tried weakly to get back up, but once again had to be helped by Wyatt. _

_Chris looked at Wyatt as though trying to look straight through him. To understand, but he couldn't he was too dizzy, too lightheaded and confused…_

"_I've had enough of doing what he wants, he can take this," He motioned to the bowl, "And be done with it."_

_Chris stared at the bowl and then at his own wrist. Wyatt clenched his jaw. _

"_Just GO!" He bellowed, waving his hand, making Chris disappear in a flurry of blue and white orbs and as he did so Phoebe felt herself lifting up off of the ground at the same time. _

* * *

"Holy crap!" She shouted as she bolted up-right, the emotions and new found information piling on top of her.

"Phoebe!" Piper cried, shooting backwards from the surprise of her now very much awake sister. After seeing her fall to the ground in a heap, they had crowded around her, and though Leo had warned them of the dangers they had tried desperately to wake her up, shaking her constantly, but to no avail. Eventually they gave up and instead chose to lean in close and stare.

A little too close for Piper, especially when her sister, who had once been the youngest of a very different power of three, awoke suddenly, looking incredibly relieved to be out of her vision.

"Holy crap?" Paige echoed, while Leo looked at her concerned. "What happened, Phoebe? Are you ok?"

"What did you see?" Piper asked, and her sister looked straight at her.

Phoebe didn't know how to say it, to explain everything, to have everything change, maybe even find a way of healing Chris, but that would mean saying it aloud. Something the neurotic young man might frown upon. Something she wondered if her sisters would even believe. Her mouth opened, but she closed it quickly, searching for the perfect reply.

Thankfully (or not so in the circumstances) she didn't have to, as groans from Chris brought everyone back to reality, and all turned to see him tossing wildly once more, his fever having spiked suddenly, his temperature rocking as sweat beads fell down from his forehead, past his eyes and onto his cheeks. The sisters and Leo shared a glance with each other, for fear of losing the man. They all knew he didn't have much longer. Time was running out, and the only progressed they had made was only known to the middle sister, who quickly decided to keep Chris' identity a secret, for now.

She just hoped he'd get the chance to tell them all.

**Please Review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Hmm lets see, emotional baggage, iPod, phone, computer, sorry there's no _Charmed_ on this list…or Linkin Park songs come to think of it**

**This should keep you happy until I get a chance to update again :)**

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**Chapter 6, Forgotten**

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"You won't talk to me." She observed quietly and Chris wondered if she was hurt.

"Funny that." He muttered annoyed, before seeing her expression and sighing for the umpteenth time. "Well you're not the easiest person _to_ talk to." He said, as if it would help her. She looked at him brightly.

"Who is then?" Her body morphed in front of his very eyes, to something similar as seeing a tree grow in fast motion. Her legs grew, until she was taller than him, her chest flattened but bulged more, abs shining through the skin as muscles appeared and her dress changed shape until it was like a skirt. Hair grew suddenly, and he dared look up at the once feminine face. Now far from it.

A burly man, his fists resting on his hips, a beard on his chin, and a moustache above his lips, pursed as if ready for something. Battle or maybe a large steak. His eyes twinkled the same way hers had, but it was so out of place on him that it only fuelled a strange fear of why the eyes twinkled at all.

"This better?"

His deep booming voice echoing around them, shaking it all, threatening to push Chris down to the ground from the sheer force of it all.

"No." Chris said quickly, and an almost crest fallen look flittered across the mans face as he shortened and the werewolf like hair seemed to get sucked back into the skin as if deflated back into her body, the dress appearing like it once had. Chris blinked and subconsciously stepped backwards.

"Why would you think that would be better?" He asked incredulously.

"I thought you saw me as un-deserving." She said, almost laughing. "I thought maybe more of an authority figure would make it easier."

Chris shook his head and she understood, stepping closer she looked deep into his eyes and nodded knowingly, muttering 'I see.'

Once again Chris watched in fascination as she began to change which soon turned to a strange dread. The dress was gone, and in its place were a pair of jeans, in tatters near the bottom where her old worn out black and white converse had stepped on them too many times.

She wore a red top, with three-quarter sleeves. It was fairly low cut on the neckline and Chris had recalled many a time his Aunt Phoebe had asked her to change, thinking (rather hypocritically, as they had all seen the photo albums) that it was not very befitting of a fifteen year old to be wearing such things, to which the daughter would kindly explain, her sarcasm improving as she spent more time with Piper's youngest, that they were no longer in the middle ages and this was more than adequate.

Chris knew his Aunt was just being protective. After all, she was the last of The Power of Three, and wanted to protect her daughter as much as possible. She had died soon afterwards, and her daughter seemed to wear the top more, as if hoping out would pop her mother telling her to take it off.

He looked up, the transformation was complete. She was only a year younger than him, but it had always felt like so much less. He had always been close to Wyatt, but once he started disappearing more and more often he found solace in her company, and realised how alike they were.

Her dark brown hair, almost black, was roughly put up in a bun, stray strands falling onto her face, strands that Chris would always brush away absentmindedly when she cried. Her skin was lightly tanned, and her collar bones shone clearly on her upper chest where the neck line left the exposed skin.

Her face, her sweet face. The skin was clear save for the area beneath her eyes where there were small freckles, invisible to those who didn't know her. Her eyes blazed blue like her father's and her light pink lips were pulled into a smile that she always wore. It made her look as though she were uncomfortable in her own skin. The smile he wore sometimes, it was the kind you would give in reassurance, it showed you weren't happy and thus not patronising but at the same time it was enough to give the illusion of possible happiness buried deep within.

He had taught her that, or rather, it had rubbed off on her; he used it so much especially after Piper had died, leaving only Phoebe, seeing as Paige had died while protecting a charge and the Elders were nowhere to be found.

The men of the family always left. His own father had disappeared, though Chris knew him not to be dead. Wyatt had changed, and that much was obvious, he was gone, and they couldn't bring him back. Phoebe's husband had died while visiting the manor during a demon attack. He had only known about his unborn child for a week before his death.

"_Can't miss what you never had."_ Penny would always joke when the subject of her father was brought up, and though her voice seemed cheery, Chris knew better and could hear the bitterness.

"What about this?"

Chris didn't answer. The voice was hers, and he recalled the last time he had heard it.

"_If I hadn't found you alone, dying in agony, you wouldn't have told me would you? Would you!"_

"_There was nothing to tell." Your voice is calm, his feelings are anything but._

"_He almost killed you." She hisses, not impressed by your warped take on events._

"_No, he wouldn't have." Denial seeps through you, she scoff, you hate it, but you wonder if he would have killed you, whether he would have taken it that far if you hadn't escaped back to the shelter._

"_Chris, I know you feel some kind of loyalty because he's your brother but he's not-"_

"_You think I don't know that?"_

"_I don't know anymore Chris, after they healed you, you were just looking up at the ceiling, didn't say anything, hell this is the most we've gotten out of you in weeks!"_

Chris looked at her. He was twenty-two, but Penny wasn't twenty-one. She hadn't made it that long. That fight, was the last time they ever saw each other. She had been killed the next day.

She had stormed off, and Chris had quickly followed her. He was about to grab her hand when the explosions began, rocking buildings from their very foundations, her hand so close but so far away, and him, crushed by whatever lay across his back, pinned down against the stinking cement, wanting to scream from the pain as his broken ribs were pushed down, grating against each other.

He'd been healed for less than a day before being forced to lie there in agony and watch as her fingers twitched, and then lay still. Never moving again.

"Not better then." Her voice brought him back to reality and he opened his eyes, surprised that they had been closed. They were face to face, barely a hair away from each other, but he had grown to be as tall as his father, in the seven years since they had last met. She had not.

He shook his head again. "Bad memories." He muttered, and though he had good ones, it didn't matter. The bad were more overpowering. His last meeting with his dear cousin, and he had been indifferent and solemn. Monotone responses had been all he'd given her. Similar to how he was now with the sisters, refusing to get attached.

She changed once more, and Chris saw that thankfully she was the same young girl, her face her own, no longer a painful reminder of his failures, in her white dress, with an ethereal glow around her, the epitome of good. She sighed, stepping forward.

"Why did you do it?" She pressed on, refusing to let it go.

"I wanted to protect Wyatt." He said simply.

"The child has a shield, you do not."

Chris felt the sting of jealousy as he sighed. She waved her hand, and motioned for him to sit, the only problem being there was nothing there to sit on. She made the same gesture with her hand and Chris seeing no other way of stopping her obliged to sit, preparing himself for a fall, but found to his surprise, a comfortable seat. But it unnerved him to still see nothing.

"Why did you do it?" She asked once more.

"I-I guess I just acted on-."

"Impulse, a foolish thing to do, and now you won't let your father heal you. You'll die."

"I'm not afraid of death." Chris answered, not understanding the part about his father healing him. He would give anything to get out of here.

"No, I have no doubt of that, but what about Wyatt? What about stopping the thing that turns him? Did you ever think of that?"

Chris swallowed and shook his head.

"Let him heal you." She whispered and he looked up at her.

"I don't understand what you mean."

"Your issues will have to be resolved at another time, until then, just, compromise, convince yourself its real, and once you find yourself in the realm of the living, you may hate him as much as you like." The slight mocking tone was clear, and yet, Chris felt no anger, a part of him almost smiled.

"The realm of the living." Chris swallowed, ignoring the teasing for now. "But this isn't the ghostly plane." He said, recalling an explanation in the Book of Shadows of the plane ghosts go to before moving on, or in some cases, returning back to earth. It was a ghost-like rendition of the world. But this certainly wasn't.

She shook her head. "No, it isn't."

He waited for an explanation, and received none.

"Are you an Elder?" He asked, and laughter erupted around them, a sound surrounding them, and all from her high pitched voice.

"No they have no precedent here."

"You're as secretive as one." He noted and she quirked her eyebrow.

"Pedestal's a little high, don't you think?"

"I just want to leave!" He said, standing up and pacing angrily. Suddenly she was in front of him, cupping his chin in her hands that felt so cold and soft.

"You did one of the most selfless things a person can do." She said, staring him deep in the eyes, her tone, though soft, was strong and put emphasis on each word, every one as important as the last.

"You put yourself in danger, not only to save Wyatt from those demons, but coming here at all, to better a future you may never see. You have a rare courage, Chris, a courage seldom seen. You, Mr. Halliwell, are a born saviour."

**Please Review**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I wish it was but alas no...and though I am seeing the Foo's on December 10th I don't actually own their songs, or lyrics.**

**So many spelling mistakes in chapters I've looked over. Sorry about that. **

**Back to this chapter, better late than never, right? As always thank you so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Chapter 7, Deceit **

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Everything has it's rightful place in time, and all around. There are some things that don't belong in certain places. Bread doesn't belong in the same grocery bag as the frozen products, halter necks and mini skirts do not belong in a nursing home and just as such, Elders and Whitelighters do not belong in the Underworld.

At least, they never used to.

There had once been a time when a single orb in the cavernous Underworld would alert all, including the Source of the time, in such speed that the being would be slaughtered right there and then.

Ah the good old days, how things have changed. Now there were far too many orbs around the place. For many of the low level, and a surprising amount of the upper level demons, orbs were now an omen of doom. A sign that he was on the way, that he'd be there in a matter of seconds with a vanquishing potion in his hand, his powers at the ready, because seldom did orbs appear in the Underworld, and when they did, it usually meant the Charmed One's Whitelighter was feeling a little angry.

Now though, as Yerrish stood with his mediocre followers, the orbs were not those of fear, in fact, they held no immediate threat at all, and they held no blue and white tint, instead they were a deep purple, so much so that they could almost be mistaken as that of a Darklighter's orbs, but this particular Demon knew full well who had just appeared in his dark lair, and he wasn't afraid, one little bit.

The four demons that had not scampered away in fear, stood by their leader, more out of fear of looking cowardly than loyalty and bravery but Yerrish didn't mind, he'd take whatever he could get in this hell hole, meant in its literal sense.

"I do believe," The older man said in his well-educated British accent, "We have a common enemy."

Yerrish narrowed his eyes, staring the Elder as the stench of his betrayal filled the air, present to only those with exceptionally potent nostrils, that being the Demons.

"I'm listening."

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Phoebe Halliwell was perched on the side of the sofa, carefully ensuring she wasn't sitting on Chris' limbs as she pressed the cold compress onto his feverish skin. She sighed in contemplation, seeing the tell tales signs of his Halliwell heritage, things she was surprised not to have noticed earlier.

She heard her younger sisters heels as they clipped on the ground, and her own name being called out. Something she chose to ignore, feigning ignorance.

"Phoebe?" Paige asked again, seeing as her oldest sister had taken to caring for her son, and Phoebe had simply taken to looking after Chris (something Paige herself had been doing not too long ago) the half Whitelighter of the three sisters took it upon herself to question her.

Secrets had never been Phoebe's forte, in fact she had a reputation for being one of the worst liars of the family, with few exceptions when keeping a secret was the only thing standing between her, Grams, and a lifetime of punishment. In those days she had really shone as a brilliant liar, a title that served her juvenile delinquency well.

But now, things were different. She had changed a lot since then, and there was something about being the youngest of three that had allowed her to be more secretive. After all it was one of the few things she had to do. But now, things were different. Paige was the youngest, Piper the eldest, and Phoebe was the middle child. Not as much responsibility as the eldest, but still expected to set a good example for the youngest among them.

She had never liked lying. Once one was told, more had to follow, lest the lie be uncovered, but this_, this_ was huge.

Chris, the sarcastic, neurotic, highly annoying Whitelighter of theirs, was her nephew. Her older sisters son. Wyatt's brother….

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"I believe you're after a Whitelighter."

"Then you're wrong old man, I was after the child, his power is greatly felt in the Underworld. The Whitelighter got in the way."

"Why are you so persistant to keep attacking rashly then?" Gideon asked, eyebrows raised. Yerrish let the insult slide.

"I never abandon a kill. I leave none alive. No exceptions."

Gideon smiled. "Let's make things a little interesting, shall we?"

Yerrish looked at him. "Since when do Elders help demons kill their own?" He was curious, he could not dispute that.

Gideon growled impatiently. "Something is helping the boy, it cannot be stopped but if the he allows another to heal him, then he will live, simple as, and the Charmed Ones will vanquish you on the spot."

Yerrish continued to stare, waiting for the better part.

"Intercept the healing process. The boy does not have much longer, that much is obvious. The kill will be easy."

"And what of the Charmed Ones?"

"They will be so pre-occupied with keeping the Whitelighter alive and the baby safe that they'll have no time to vanquish you." Gideon said the words with such confidence that Yerrish grinned in satisfaction.

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"Phoebe!" Paige said a little louder, finally managing to make Phoebe look at her with a strange look in her eyes Paige couldn't quite place. Something akin to, but not quite, grief.

"What's wrong?" She asked fearfully, and Phoebe looked away, pressing the cold compress on Chris' feverish forehead once more. Phoebe shook her head, and Paige looked back down at Chris, still feeling the strange sense that she cared for him. Then again, maybe it wasn't so strange. He was their Whitelighter after all…

But that didn't explain the change in Phoebe, in fact the only thing that did was Phoebe's vision, whatever that was.

"Phoebe."

The tone no longer held kindness, nor was it one asking calmly, instead it was a tone of warning, laced with impatience. The empathy sighed, standing and turning to face her sister. She took a deep breath, looking down at the man on the sofa.

"I saw something-"

"I gathered that."

Phoebe glared at the interruption before being urged to continue by the youngest sisters hand gestures. "It was bad, really."

"What was it?" Paige asked in a hushed tone.

"I-." Phoebe stopped herself. _'I can't say.'_ Raced around her mind, but the sentence itself would hold too many questions. She couldn't say it. "I saw Chris," Phoebe said, changing tracks. "And he was hurt, but Wyatt wasn't very sympathetic. We have to save him." The last sentence was said into the distance.

Paige knew that the sugar-coated words left much to be desired but she also knew that her sister had her reasons for being vague. The vision was clearly something she did not want to repeat. A silence reigned, something Paige had never liked. One thing popped into her mind to break it, the solution to almost all of their demonic problems.

"Ok then, uh Book of Shadows?"

**P****lease Review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: If I did own them, and I don't by the way, I'd constantly slap Leo for his behaviour towards Chris in the beginning of Season 6 and Phoebe and Paige for their behaviour against Leo in a lot of Season 7. **

**Sorry if the beginning's a bit…depressing, but recent happenings made me want to vent, hence the details in Chris' memory...**

**As always, thank you to everyone who reviewed!**

**Chapter 8, Feeling**

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The trip past the floors of the Halliwell manor and up to the attic had become a ritual, something repeated so much that any member of the Halliwell clan could easily go up there with their eyes closed, though it was not recommended at all.

But with each step Phoebe seemed to feel a great weight pressing down on her. She imagined Chris and Wyatt running up the same stairs she was taking so long to climb. Giggling as they ran, their mother suddenly appearing and telling them sternly to stay away from the attic. It's dangers apparent.

But the image was tainted, Phoebe imagined Wyatt as two very different people. The little boy she loved so dearly and the madman, the cruel uncaring ass she had seen in her vision. She could never put them into one body, it was too impossible for her to comprehend though she knew the vision to be real.

As she came to a stand still letting her mind project an image of children around her she watched in horror as the brown haired boy no older than eight fell. His body flying through the air like an arch. His brother standing, a shocked expression on his face. The mother screaming.

As the small body landed on the ground, it wasn't that of an eight year old. He was fully grown, a twenty-two year old lying pale as death on the ground where their own Grandmother had died years ago. The brother was no longer a small boy, no older than ten, but tall and dark, clad in black, blonde greasy locks around his face in curls. A distorted vision of a cherub.

"Phoebe?" Paige's voice floated to her ears, the images vanishing into thin air, but their morbid stench remaining in Phoebe's thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm good." She muttered following the youngest Charmed One up the fated stairs.

The attic door opened with a creak and the two witches strode quickly over to the book sat atop its perch. Paige got to it first and craned open the cover revealing the mass amounts of pages, darkened with age, filled with illustrations and descriptions of Demons and the like. Paige flicked through each page, muttering to herself about the lack of order in the large book until she stopped, throwing her hands down emphatically onto the opened pages.

Page after page of Demon's looked up at her, but she paid them no heed. In search of one in particular.

"What are you doing?" Piper asked as she came to the doorway having entered the living room to see a very vulnerable and unguarded Chris. _There it is again_, she thought to herself, _the worry, the anger at him being left like that…_

The question went unanswered, and once again it was Paige's voice that broke through the reverie with her announcement.

"I think," She said with a cocky grin. "I found him." She turned the book around, keeping a firm hold on it, allowing her sister to see. Piper stared at it, the illustration was eerily correct down to the sinister glance he had no doubt given to whichever Halliwell had added this entry to the Book. "Yerrish, yup that's h-."

"Uh guys a little help down here!" Leo's voice called up to them and immediately the three sisters stormed down the stairs, throwing caution to the wind.

_

* * *

_

_I'm at the front, and I wish I wasn't. The church is old and the pews small, so much so that only four of us are in one. I am in the centre, next to the second row of pews separated by a panel of wood. Wyatt is by my side, with Aunt Phoebe the last of four sisters, and her daughter Penny seated next to him, Grandpa sits behind, Darryl and Sheila sitting next to him, offering what little comfort they could. _

_At least Wyatt turned up, I muse, well aware of how easily he could have blown it off. But maybe I've got him all wrong. An organ plays in the background and as I focus on it more, I begin to cry. _

_T__here's a rumble as the order of standing is given and all sitting do as is asked. _

Chris tossed and turned, lost in his memories as he tried to wake up on his own, and once again Leo found himself trying to avoid the stray limbs as they threatened to beat down on him, while holding a fussing Wyatt in his arms. He called out to the women of the family, whom he knew to be in the attic.

_The pulse of magic is strong to those who posses it. Hidden members of the magical community stay at the back. Fluttering __wings of Faerie queens hidden behind trench coats. Tree nymph's dressed accordingly for such a service, and fellow Witches and Whitelighters grieving in unison. No Elders, No Leo. No Dad. _

_It's so hard to breathe. My chest hurts; it lifts up and down erratically, as if a million butterflies are fluttering around in there, but their wings have sharp jagged edges, and it hurts so much. I can't move, if I look up I'll see it, and I want nothing more than to make it go away. For the wooden box with sweet little flowers atop the smooth surface, to vanish, and for her to be standing there once more. Smiling. Is that so much to ask? _

Phoebe had managed to over-take her sisters on the second floor. Her concern for Chris reaching ten-fold as she practically jumped the last staircase and zoomed into the living room, not stopping to catch her breath. Piper followed behind, concern for her ex husband and son, while Paige was a little slower, her heels stopping her from any brisk running.

The middle sister watched as Leo passed Wyatt to his wife, who then took it upon herself to leave the living room, the strange concern almost scaring her as worry tried to consume her at watching the deteriorating health of their current Whitelighter.

"No, no." Chris muttered in denial, earning sympathy from those surrounding him at the desperation in his tone. A tone that only got louder, until he was thrashing wildly, his arms flailing around him, his head sifting from side to side each time hitting the sofa hard his entire body trembled in angst. Leo placed his hands over Chris' body, a faint glow beginning to appear.

Phoebe and Paige stood near them, the latter wondering whether she should continue with their conversation from earlier or not, still wondering whatever it was the secret Phoebe was keeping. Her thoughts were cut off, by a loud cry from Chris, a simple hand gesture and the body of their ex brother in law flying into a nearby wall and the crack that followed shortly as a hung photo fell from its hook and onto the floor.

Phoebe groaned loudly, while Paige muttered _'For crying out loud.'_ At seeing her brother in law, _ex_ brother in law, being knocked out for what seemed like the umpteenth time that hour. Only this time it had been Chris himself who had caused it.

Phoebe sighed. "At least he healed him a little bit." Paige reasoned but Phoebe shook her head. "It's not enough." Paige nodded, when an idea came to her head, and she strode off towards the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Phoebe asked

"To get him a drink." Paige said simply, and Phoebe quirked an eyebrow. "Somehow I don't think Water's gonna help the situation Paige."

Paige pursed her lips together, her hands on her hips. "I never said I was getting him water."

_I take a breath and look around careful not to raise my head too much. Distant relatives and old friends stand among us, the grieving. _

_I dare not look to the side, one look at my stoic brother's tears, and nothing will stop me breaking down completely. I don't know what to do, do I comfort him? I feel so uncomfortable, a stranger in my own skin. Why do I feel so out of place here? Why is everyone looking at me, all whispering. 'Those poor boys.' 'So young,' the same sad words, condemning us to a lonely life before we've even left the church._

_My head is bowed once more, one hand clasping the other, grasping at the skin in a desperate hope that I'll bleed. Hot tears race through my eyes and down my cheeks. A sob wants to escape my lips but I cannot let it, I cannot break the silence descended on the church. 'Think of something happy,' She used to say if ever I cried. 'Think of something happy and the pain will disappear.' But it's not enough. It never will be. _

_I close my eyes tight as the organ begins to play once more, the melodic music worsening my weakening barriers, I'm shaking and suddenly there's a hand on my shoulder, grasping tightly, telling me its ok. It gives me no comfort, it isn't his hand, its grandpa's. Dad isn't here, dad's never here and Wyatt, Wyatt's been gone a long time. My eyes dart to his figure next to me and I see a glimpse of a tear glistening in his cold gaze. With a pat, grandpa lets go and I hold my head up high, the tears falling in different directions as I focus on the mural painting on the ceiling, the biblical references racing through my mind as I do so. _

_I __barely hear the sermon's, the verses and I barely register that the prayer is being spoken, though my head is bowed, and my hands clasped tightly together, my subconscious well aware of what needed to be done, even if my mind is not. My cracked lips open long enough for the whisper of 'Amen' and closed once more to cease any likelihood of loud cries. I feel calmer as I become more and more detached, then I look up once more, and the flowers are so white they sting my eyes, or is it the tears that fall once more? I see a familiar face of a friend long forgotten until now and I feel more emotions rise up to the surface._

_I don't care anymore. I turn around fully, unaware of the slight painful sigh from my grandfather at the sight of my red puffy eyes and scratched cheeks from my attempts at hiding my tears. No, I care not. I look around, and it's full. Every pew, though small, is full to the brim; some had six squashed in, and against the wall stood at least ten people. The church is so full that people have to stand. But the fact that they are willing to stand means more to me than anything else…_

**

* * *

**

It felt as though he were behind the curtains of a show. They were there, dark and velvety, he longed to open them but he couldn't. Not yet. He had to wait, wait until the signal, for the crew to open the curtains to reveal the bright lights and stares of the onlookers. He longed to take a peek, but the longing soon turned to panic as he felt a strange sensation on his lips.

His natural reaction was to fight. To not swallow whatever had been poured into his mouth but the cooing words of a familiar female reached his ears. He tried to understand but he just wanted to spit. He lurched forward, his head spinning as his body screamed

From the way his head was tilted much of the potion tipped out of the corner of his lips. The freezing liquid poured down his neck and dripped onto his chest, the sensation startling him into a dazed awareness.

"Phoebe?" He asked, disorientated, the empath placing the vial back onto the side table, making a note to thank Paige (and Piper for her brewing support) for putting a spin on a sleeping potion they had come across some years ago.

"Yes Chris, it's me."

"I-Wyatt-he-demon." He rasped out, in a barely audible whisper of pain, trying once again to get back up.

"It's ok, Chris, its ok, you need to rest, Leo's a little unavailable right now," She said, pushing him down gently. He followed her eye line to where Leo sat against the wall, eyes closed.

"Demon?" He whispered, and Phoebe looked down for a moment. "Uh no, that would be you."

Chris looked at her confused. "It wasn't your fault Chris, you were…distressed."

Chris stared. She was being kind, too kind, there was no distrust it had just vanished, there was no annoyance at being a burden, no mockery at his reaction to throwing Leo against the wall, there was, but no, it couldn't be. But Chris had seen it, an emotion so strange to his loner lifestyle. Love, something she shouldn't feel, not until he was born at least.

"You know." He hissed his throat still scratchy. Phoebe looked at her hands before nodding and looking back at him. "Yes," She said slowly, allowing the word time to set in.

He looked at her again, seeing the look tinged with sadness and guilt. He sighed. He didn't want them to feel guilt, he didn't want them to feel failure, that's why he hadn't told them until recently about Wyatt evil-doings. He had kept it to himself, not able to bare the shocked looks, he hadn't expected the complete disbelief spawned from doubt, doubt he himself had caused from the lies. Maybe if he'd told them who he was at the beginning…no they wouldn't have believed him anyway.

Phoebe, she wouldn't have worked it out on her own, then it occurred to him that in his weakened state the potion wouldn't be as strong, she must have read him, maybe even…

He shuddered...

Maybe she saw something, something from his past.

That certainly wasn't good, after all his life hadn't been one of pleasure and lazy days, no. His mothers quest for normalcy saw him using his powers less and less as he too began to long for that life, and suddenly on his fourteenth birthday he was forced to use them again and again, left alone, his father AWOL, his mother, aunts and cousins dead and his brother, his brother off on a mad crusade of power.

Every day was the same, running through alleyways, hiding, only fighting when it was absolutely necessary, unable to trust, unable to make connections. The only feelings strong enough to matter had been for her, for Bianca, and she was dead. Gone at his brother's hand, purposefully or not it didn't matter.

Now, the emotion was staring him right in the face, not the same as Bianca's, but the kind he had seen before The Event, before he was alone. Love; untainted and pure.

He felt solace from the eyes of his Aunt, the gaze that held so much. No doubt, like that of the mortals in the resistance, no fear like the Witches beneath him in the chain of both command and power. No distrust and anger, no betrayal no treachery, just, just love.

_**

* * *

**_

**If you were confused, the italics in first person were Chris' POV at Piper's funeral.**

**Not really written slush before…I think that qualified though, don't you? Let me know, go ahead and review go on, pleeeease!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Nope, nada, zilch. **

**Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Some chapters edited to remove song lyrics**

****

**Chapter 9, Falling Feathers**

* * *

Chris felt a shiver run down his spine as his eyes looked at the fallen form of his father, his mother standing over him as if waiting for him to awake as she held Wyatt close. How many times had he seen that? In both the past and the future, well at least he had.

He had never felt close to his father, or overly loved by him, but he had always admired him, always wanted to impress him, despite never being able to stand side by side with him as Wyatt did. A part of him despised him, and he suspected he always would.

He had never been overly famous for his ability to hold a grudge, but with Leo it was a different matter. He constantly let him down, never going out of his way to make him feel loved, playing favourites all of the time with the other party even when it was between himself and his cousins Chris came out second, and in some cases, third best. Leo just didn't care, maybe he never had, and maybe it was petty to feel so angry about it. To hate a man for not going to baseball games and spelling bee's, forgetting birthdays and never there in his time of need.

Maybe it was petty to feel the pain from his last memory of such a man to have been marred by his brother. They had been fighting, something they did too often, he had screamed to the heavens about his brother's dealings, knowing full well he would be punished for doing so. He expected that much from Wyatt, but not from Leo.

"_Don't!" Leo had cried, lashing out and pushing Chris backwards, a little harsher than he had intended. _

"_Don't talk about your brother like that."_

"_Oh come on! You're so self obsessed that you can't even see it! He's a murderer!"_

"_I said don't!" _

_The slap had been hard across Chris' face, enough to leave a red hand impression. Chris didn't flinch, he didn't stumble, or hide away. He stood, the mark shining like a medal of honour, he stood, facing his father square on, daring him to do it again. Standing stoic, eyes glaring. _

_It was Leo that stumbled, stepping backwards in shock. Chris didn't care if his father regretted it, he didn't care if he apologised for the rest of his life. _

"_You'll always choose him over me, I've accepted that, but I hate to think what it'll take for you to see the truth."_

And he had seen the truth; he had been worried that Chris' outburst had been a result of some kind of fight. He had orbed to his oldest son, and instantly knew he had been wrong. Black clothes and a grim expression, standing in a lair in the underground until he knew he could take on the world. He had seen his father and he had killed him.

Chris had been sent the body as a warning from his brother. The unseeing eyes still haunted him, and seeing Leo so still, was his fault yet again. He couldn't distinguish between this Leo and his own anymore.

More and more elders were brutally murdered, until there were none left. None standing to stand in Wyatt's way. Nothing but a group of, in Wyatt's opinion, spineless mortals and weak witches, his little brother included.

Chris looked back to Phoebe, at the warm smile lighting up her features and felt at a loss for words.

"Phoebe?" Paige called from the large arch leading the living room to the main hall. "Can I uh talk to you for a sec?" Her nose scrunched up as her shoulders flew high, and lowered once more, as if trying to be inconspicuous but failing miserably.

Phoebe looked at her sister as though she were insane. They had just gotten Chris awake and she wanted to talk!

"Now?" She asked through gritted teeth a fake smile on her face. Paige nodded, and began to tap her foot impatiently. There was a faint touch on her hand, and Phoebe turned to look down to see Chris' finger faintly touching her knuckles, trying to get her attention, and finding speaking harder as time wore on. She looked from her hand to her nephew and was surprised to catch his eyes, suddenly entranced by the dimmed green orbs inside half closed lids.

"Go," He whispered weakly through cracked lips, his throat dry.

Phoebe wanted to disagree, but she felt the need to honour his request as he lay dying, though it tore at her heart. She got up carefully, squeezing Chris' hand in reassurance and striding past her sister into the hallway.

"What?" She hissed as Paige followed her.

"You're keeping something from me."

It wasn't a question, or a doubtful observation. It was a statement, laced with annoyance to be kept out of the loop, feeling the strange switch of their attitudes toward Chris get to her.

"What do you want me to say, Paige?" Phoebe asked quietly.

"What are you talking about? I want to know what you're hiding!"

"How will finding out change your life Paige? Why does this matter to you?"

_Of course it matters to her, but she doesn't know yet, she doesn't understand yet._

_But she felt it before any of us, or at least before any of us acted upon the urge to save him, to protect him. She was the first, nursing him. _

_Maybe she does deserve to know._

* * *

If the Elder was right, then the Charmed ones would be a prime target as they cared for the wounded boy. But he couldn't get ahead of himself. He had his priorities, he had attacked the boy and he would finish what he had started, he would kill him, and if the Charmed ones got in his way he would kill them too.

_Destroy the Charmed Ones while they're vulnerable then attack the Whitelighter. They'll be sitting ducks_

Ah the folly of Demon naïveté.

* * *

"Maybe it's communication that's the problem?"

Sigmund didn't reply, he was angry, annoyed at Gideon's cocky attitude, his arrogant stance as he sat at his desk replaying the meeting with the Demon to his aide, as if he actually wanted to hear. He could almost imagine a bunch of grapes in his hand, a crown of leaves and a white robe like Caesar himself.

"Surely when one upper level Demon can't kill them the others would put two and two together?"

"Apparently not." Sigmund said distastefully. Gideon turned to him.

"What is it Sigmund? What's wrong?"

"He's an innocent, Gideon." Sigmund said desperately in almost a whine. "This isn't vanquishing Demons or stopping a great evil, this is no sacrifice for the greater good, this is murder!"

"No, Sigmund, it is not-."

"Who says so? You!

"I'll forget this Sigmund, your lack of trust is getting to me, where is your loyalty? Do we not share the same goals?"

"Yes. To keep Magic School open, to teach the gifted, to find more members to add to the faculty but not to kill."

"Without me, Magic School would have never opened. Children would be running amuck in the city, their powers going untrained, unchecked, and more deaths would have surfaced."

"Just because hypothetically you may have saved lives does not give you the right to kill others, it is not your decision-."

"Do you see an athamé in my hand Sigmund? Do you? It is not I committing the act."

"You gave the order Gideon, if he dies then his blood is on your hands."

* * *

"Yes, I'm keeping something from you."

Paige smirked, she knew it.

"But," Phoebe continued. "It's not my secret, it's Chris' and it isn't fair if I tell you if he doesn't want me to."

Paige couldn't help it, she growled, her teeth clenched tightly together, her lips pursed in annoyance. "How will he know?" She asked exasperated. "In case you hadn't noticed he's not exactly up to screaming at you right now!" Her hands flicked in his direction before going back to her hips.

"Paige!"

"What? A few hours ago you were riding me for feeling the need to care about him and now suddenly you do!"

"Pai-"

"What's going on!"

"He's your nephew!" She hissed, half screaming, putting enough emphasis on the words for Paige to stumble backwards at the hard gaze.

"He's my what?"

"Your nephew, Paige." Phoebe said, in a calmer tone, before remembering Piper being in the living room. She left her shell shocked younger sister, and rushed to the doorway. Piper was still trying to rouse Leo. She hadn't heard Phoebe and the latter let out a sigh of relief, turning back to her other sister, still wearing her shocked expression.

"He's…family?"

Phoebe nodded, ready to impart the need for secrecy when the commotion from the living room reached their ears.

"Phoebe! Paige!" Piper cried, standing at her side with Wyatt faced away from the Demon, Yerrish as she tried and tried to blow him up. As her sisters joined her, Piper called out to the youngest, telling her to orb Wyatt upstairs while Phoebe attempted to lunge at the demon, who shimmered out, and re-appeared as she crashed to the ground.

"Ugh!" She groaned, picking herself up. Paige orbed back in instantly, knowing her sisters would need her but ready to orb to Wyatt's need if she had to.

"Chair!" She cried, moving her hand towards the demon as the blue orbs rematerialized dropping the wooden seat onto the Demon's head, dazing him for a moment. As he came to, he moved his arm in a similar fashion and Paige was thrown into the wall, crashing to the ground, out cold.

Piper continued attempting to blow him up while Phoebe clasped her hands together, and prepared herself. As Piper distracted him by blowing up pretty much anything, Phoebe lunged again, kicking out with her left leg aimed for its torso. She reached her target, her heel thwacking the demon hard. She aimed a punch at his face but her fist was stopped instantly as she was thrown backwards, landing, and crushing, the table in front of where Chris lay.

The demon began to edge towards his prey but Piper continued to distract the demon, making him momentarily forget about him, focusing on destroying the Witches.

There was another clash, and Chris could see furniture flying across the room from where he lay. A part of him wondered why they even bothered to replace things so often.

_Now,_

He thought to himself.

_I can lie here, watch my family get their asses kicked and thus cease to exist, or I can help them out and die anyway. _

He gritted his teeth and pushed himself up, leaning heavily on the wall. He gathered his energy and orbed himself to the attic, barely arriving there in his weak state. He fell forward, tumbling over the stand that held the Book of Shadows, pushing it to the ground, the book in question falling open.

Chris crawled over to it and turned the pages briskly, and then he saw it, the description, the drawing, and the folded over page that the sisters had clearly found earlier, and more importantly, the vanquishing spell, one that only needed a single witch. He grabbed the book in his arms and orbed back down, right to where Piper stood, continuingly re-freezing the demon as Leo held on to Wyatt, ready to protect the toddler.

Piper was startled for a moment as she looked to the side, staring. At that moment Chris was standing on his last legs, literally. The Whitelighter was shaking uncontrollably, holding on tightly the book that despite his best efforts was about to fall out of his hands, and he knew he would surely follow it to the floor.

"Chris?"

He had no energy to speak or even to stand anymore, he hit the book, showing the rhyming spell, and Piper read it out quickly, well aware of what it must be, but she saw the words above it, and turned back to the demon. "It's a power of three spell, Chris." She said, blowing up a lamp, causing the shards to fly off onto the demon, momentarily distracting him. Chris swallowed the lump in his throat. Feeling weaker as the seconds flew by.

Orbing weakly and landing beside Paige. He reached out and grabbed her nose, pulling it, well aware that it had worked in his own past. Paige squirmed and woke up surprised to see Chris. Once again his weak orbs filtered across the room, still holding the Book of Shadows, to Phoebe as Piper continued to blow up nearby objects seeing as it didn't work directly on Yerrish

Chris began shaking Phoebe with all of his might, and now with Paige by his side helping, she finally awoke. The female half-whitelighter in the room picked her up, grabbing the book, and they both ran to their sister's aid, chanting as they did so.

"From whence you came, now be gone  
Stopped, must be, your doings of wrong  
From whence you came, now leave this place  
Banished forever from time and space."

As the last of the words were said, the demon began shaking his head in denial. "No, no!" He cried as the flames engulfed him, destroying him, glaring at the boy, at his victim, the unfinished prey, until all that was left of his destruction was the destroyed furniture and a pile of ash on the ground, not to mention Chris' pain.

Chris orbed up right, unable to do so himself and had intended to make his way back over to the couch. He only took a single step before falling. His eyes rolled back into his head and the world seemed like a cloud, his body falling like a feather through the air, no resistance, especially not from him and his weakened body. A simple nothing as he hit the ground and lay there, still.

**Wow, even managed to get some retrospective irony in there with Gideon too.**

**Please Review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I've run out of original sarcastic comments…bummer…**

**Sorry for the delay and thank you to everyone who's reviewed and anyone who continues to do so. But alas, this is the last chapter, so let me know your thoughts!**

**Chapter 10**

Piper practically threw the book on to the straw footrest that surprisingly still stood despite the ruins around it. She turned him over, well aware of the blood now turning the ground red too. She shook his shoulder, calling to him, before looking over to Leo desperately.

She'd been more than surprised to see Chris get up, let alone find the book and help them, and she was more than grateful, almost proud at the sign of obvious strength, but no matter how hard she tried to like this man the lies kept coming back to her, and Leo's concern for their son.

The Elder slowly got up, and placed his own son carefully into the playpen, prying off the tiny fingers that held on to his plaid shirt, refusing to let go, but being forced to by the larger hands of his father. Phoebe and Paige watched with bated breath, following like lost puppies.

Leo heaved Chris into his arms, and realised how small he was. Granted he was no baby, but the way his legs were bent across Leo's left arm, his head leaning against the Elder's chest, Leo could see the youth, the innocence. He put the young man onto the sofa, glad to see he was still, before realizing that really wasn't a good thing, no matter what his own feelings for the young Whitelighter were, though even they seemed to be changing as of late.

He held his hands out, closing his eyes in concentration, feeling the pain vibrating beneath his fingers, the heat radiating off of the young Whitelighters body from fever, the blood flow consistent. He growled under his breath, still unable to heal Chris, but a feeling he couldn't understand insisting that he save the Whitelighter, that he ignore his own mentors council and save the boy, somehow.

* * *

"_Oh, it's you." Chris said in a monotone voice as his not so favourite person came into view._

"_Ind__eed."_

"_How did you know I was here?"_

"_The clouds. They speak to me." She said wistfully and Chris looked at her with a sarcastic quirked eyebrow. _

"_What do they say?"_

"_They tell me," She said, leaning in, whispering. "That the idiot is back."_

_She giggled and Chris growled, leaning back away from her._

"_I'm not doing this on purpose you know."_

"_Aren't you?"_

"_A__s much as I love these little chats of ours I really do need to be going. So if you wanna point me in the right direction that'd be swe-."_

"_You know I can't." Her tone seemed almost regretful._

"_Worth a try though, right?"_

_She didn't reply, she only tilted her head to the side, listening to something, smiling, she started to leave._

"_Hey, wait! Where are you going?" He called after her, suddenly not wanting to be alone. She turned around, smiling, whispering softly. "Let it go."_

_He was silent for a moment as she walked away and just then Chris could hear something, someone. A faint voice, voices he knew. _

"_Mom? Dad?" He called out, forgetting momentarily for any secrecy. He had to get out; he couldn't exactly help the sisters from here, or protect Wyatt._

* * *

There were knocks at the door, four simultaneous ones that went ignored by the Halliwells, all of their attention focused on Chris. 

"Mom? Dad?" Chris muttered in his painful delirium and that gave Leo a thought.

"Yes Chris, its dad." He said taking on another tactic, surprising Piper who recalled his insistent corrections earlier, and himself for feeling so comfortable saying those words. The smile from a now awake Phoebe was hidden behind her hand, while Paige was groggily pushing herself onto her feet using the rubble of a once comfortable chair.

There were knocks again and Phoebe growled edging towards the door. She opened it to see Mrs Noble standing there, a cross look on her face,

"My car is not in the way." Phoebe said simply, recalling many a fight they had had over this trivial matter, but the woman ignored her.

"What the hell is going on in there?" She asked in her southern accent trying to look past Phoebe.

"New T.V." The empath explained. "Haven't quite figured out the volume yet, very sorry if we disturbed you, bye, bye, bye now." And she closed the door in the ginger woman's face. She sighed, running a hand over her face, before racing back to the living room.

"It's ok, just relax and everything will be fine, ok?" Phoebe heard Leo tell Chris, as the glow from his fingertips intensified.

It seemed those simple words, spoken gently had calmed the man, enough to help him.

Chris no longer tossed, turned, or moaned. He lay for a moment; the silence was so strong that you could have heard a pin drop clear as day. Everyone looked on, Phoebe and Paige unconsciously clutching each others hands as they waited for him to open his eyes.

Leo's hands were still poised over the younger man's body and as the glow faded away, he clenched his fists, bringing them down to his side. Chris' chest jolted and his sudden coughs erupted around the room. Phoebe let out the breath she didn't know she'd held, and Paige turned around to the wall, leaning her head against it in relief.

As soon as Chris had begun coughing, Leo had carefully pulled him up, easing him into a more comfortable position. When Chris finally had his breathing under control, he looked around confused. Piper was staring at him with an air of respect, while Leo's face was filled with a concern he was trying to mask with a nonchalant smile. Phoebe and Paige were close by, staying close to each other.

"W-what happened?" He asked with a croaky voice, his throat hoarse.

"You saved us." Leo said with pride and Chris looked up at him.

"Your saviour, huh?" He said with a slight smile. "You could say that, yeah." Leo said smiling, suddenly seeing nothing wrong with liking the young man next to him.

* * *

"Well we better put this back, don't you think, Phoebe?" Paige said, tilting her head to the side as she grabbed the book. 

"What? You don't need me to hold your hand."

"Phoebe! I really think you should follow." She said, indicating Chris who was still lying down, uncomfortable while Leo made sure the wounds were completely healed, doubting his ability somewhat seeing as how hard it had been to heal the young man earlier.

"Uh..ok?"

Paige practically stormed up the stairs, best as her shoes would allow, with Phoebe hot on her tail.

As they reached the attice, Paige was standing behind the door, ready to close it as soon as her older sister walked in after her.

"What are we going to do about this whole…thing?" She said, her hands moving in tandem with her frustration.

"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked innocently.

"What do I mean? What do you THINK I mean! Chris!" Paige cried.

"Keep your voice down." Phoebe hissed in return turning to the door as if waiting for Piper to walk in. A few moments passed before the empath turned back on her sister. "We _do_ nothing, it's Chris' decision, if he wanted to tell us he would have; simple as."

"Are you kidding? This is huge!"

"Which is exactly why we keep it to ourselves Paige, I had no right to see what I saw-"

"What _did_ you see?"

Phoebe shot her sister a glare before continuing. "That memory was Chris' not mine, I invaded his privacy and it was wrong. We are keeping this a secret until we can talk to Chris properly!" Seeing her sister's mouth about to protest she lifted a hand to silence her before she had the chance. "Paige." She said in a warning tone, and seemed content when her youngest sibling huffed under her breath, crossed her arms and muttered obscenities in a sigh.

* * *

Leo looked at the bare skin where the ugly wound had been but there was only a few bruises remaining. He pushed down on them tenderly, but Chris only winced slightly and it was enough to let Leo knew they would heal quickly by themselves. 

"Can you turn over?" He asked Chris, ready to help if needs be. Chris adjusted his position, biting his tongue to stop any remarks. He did have Leo to thank for his life after all. He was leaning on his side well aware of some kind of stain on the sofa where his elbow was resting.

He felt Leo's warm fingers press carefully around his back, gritting his teeth when the Elder touched a tender area of skin. When Leo was content, he put his hand on Chris' shoulder and the younger man sat up slowly. He looked at his shirt, where his elbow had pressed it into the couch, and cringed at the red stain. He moved over, and looked at the spot where he had laid. The dark red mass.

He felt bile rise up in his throat at the site of it. He had seen blood before, he was used to its metallic taste in his mouth, to the crude smell, to its dripping crimson tears, but he was on the couch, in the manor, his childhood home, and his blood adorned a place where children had sat, where guilty fingers had traced the lines of the patterns as parents gave lectures for whatever wrong had been done that week.

Chris closed his eyes, and took a breath, annoyed at his weak state.

"Hey, bud, take it easy."

"Sorry about that." Chris said looking up at Piper who had remained silent the entire time, holding Wyatt in her arms.

"What? That? Oh that'll…wash I'm sure." She said with a smile. Wyatt gurgled in her arms, and she looked down at him realising it was probably time for his feed. "I'll be right back." Leo smiled at Chris, squeezing his shoulder before following his wife.

"I can't find his bear," She muttered distractedly as she lifted articles around the highchair. "And he's getting fussy."

"Piper, calm down."

"No Leo-."

"What's wrong?" He asked, able to read his wife so well.

"He-he got so hurt trying to save us." She said dejectedly and she took a calming breath. Leo smiled. "Why don't you go out there, and talk with him? I'll take Wyatt to magic school." He ventured, wondering if it would help and upon seeing Piper's half a smile, he orbed out, and Piper made her way out to the living room.

"Chris?" She called out.

But there was no one there.

* * *

Gideon watched through his crystal ball as Leo walked through Magic School, Wyatt in his arms. He waved his hand, the crystal de-activating and striding out of his office. His teacher's cloak billowing as he walked, determined to intercept the father with his child. 

"Leo, how is Chris?" Gideon asked, attempting to seem casual, but the guilty expression he had expected to see was nowhere to be found.

"He's gonna be ok."

Leo was smiling, grinning almost, as if he were happy the meddlesome Whitelighter had been taken care of, and that couldn't be right.

"He is?"

"Yeah, and I dunno," He edged closer to his mentor, feeling no problems confiding him. "If it weren't for him, we'd probably all be dead, but he saved us."

"He did?"

Leo nodded. "I think I'm beginning to like the guy." He said, almost wistfully, turning back to the hallway, and through the corridor to drop Wyatt off in the nursery for the time being.

As Leo walked away, smiling, Wyatt in arm, Gideon span around, the cloak once again floating behind him, black and menacing, as though held up by an invisible force.

"Why are Demons so impossible to work with!" He said under his breath, stepping into the office.

"Maybe because they're Demons." A voice said behind him and Gideon turned to see Sigmund looking up at him, the shorter man looking quite vulnerable.

"Oh don't start, Sigmund, the boy meddles, he's dangerous."

"You're just bitter because Leo found a way to save him."

"How true, Sigmund, dear friend. How true." Gideon remained thoughtful for a moment before a thought occurred to him. Sigmund recognized the eerie smile, and shining eyes, and half expected to see a light bulb above the Head of Magic School's head.

"Sigmund, who would you say were the most reliable hunters in the Underworld?"

"They're demons, sir, none of them are reliable."

"Ah but who prays on Whitelighters in particular?"

"Sir, please, I beg you to reconsider."

"No, Sigmund, the greater good, remember? It has to be done. If Chris and Leo are around then I'll never be able to destroy Wyatt."

"Destroy? Sir, he's a two year old."

"Stop thinking like that Sigmund. He should never have come to be, if you think of him as a child instead of a powerful entity then you'll never accept what has to be done."

"Sir, why kill them? Why not send the Whitelighter away? Capture him, or-or send him back, why must he be killed?"

"Send him back? That's ingenious! Leo trusts him now, but I'm sure that after a few sessions with the rest of us he'll soon see that the boy is dangerously reckless and that the best thing for him is to be sent home. Yes, Sigmund, I'll wait, I'll wait for him to lose Leo's trust, and when Leo himself wants Chris sent home, then I'll make sure everyone else agrees."

Sigmund cringed, his attempt to stop the pain of others, had only seemed to increase it, he saw no way how sending Chris back to an awful future would help anyone, but maybe it would be the better…it didn't matter. As far as he could see Leo was beginning to trust Chris, and he couldn't foresee Leo changing his mind any time soon. Unless the Charmed One's whitelighter gave him a real reason not to be trusted, and sadly, Sigmund had his doubts that the boy even knew how to not be suspicious.

He would stall Gideon as long as possible, already regretting his decision to stand by the man despite all of the blood shed.

**

* * *

**

The cars zoomed beneath him, blurs of colour through the haze that had risen with the night. Yellows and red, blues and blacks, all with somewhere to get to. All busy. All with a purpose. Like he.

He sighed, sitting back against the red pole on the top of the Golden Gate Bridge. Ever since he had found Leo up there when the demon children had been playing with Wyatt he had enjoyed the breeze on his skin. He may not be meditating but he did find it all the more calming up there.

He had to save Wyatt, that was his purpose. His reason for existence, to be a brother, to be the martyr, the saviour.

He stopped his thoughts. That's what she had called him wasn't it? A saviour. A true saviour. The word itself was simple enough to understand, but it was the hidden meaning that underlines her speech that made him wonder. She said it as though it were something special, but to Chris, it really wasn't. After all, how many saviours were out there in the world.

And how many lived to re-tell the tale? He almost died today, and then what? It would have all been for nothing. He couldn't allow himself to be that careless again. He would protect Wyatt, oh yes, there was no doubt about that, but he would keep his guard up at all times.

Hell, maybe his death might make the sisters really think about their duties and take them seriously, take the threat seriously. He never wanted to see his future again, not the way it had been when he left, not without Bianca by his side, giving him a reason to live. He stood up carefully, the cold wind making the loose fabric of his trousers dance. He swallowed the lump in his throat and orbed away to P3. After all, he had a lot of work to do.

**The End**

**Please Review! Makes it all the more worthwhile!**

**And on that note I'll be off oh wait, here's a preview for my next Charmed story :)**

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**_During I Dream of Phoebe Chris doesn't make his wish. Now that Leo has sent him back to the future, will Phoebe and Paige be able to get him back in time before Wyatt finds him? Or is it already too late for the young Witch/Whitelighter?_**

**By the way, it's not a sequel to this, it goes via tv-verse. So Phoebe found out because of the vision quest, and Leo still doesn't like Chris.**


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